HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist

HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Hydraulic Controls, Inc.
 Stockton, CA | Hybrid after initial training/onboarding period

Job Title: HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist
 Location: Stockton, CA
 Reporting to: Vice President of Human Resources
 Employment Type: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
 Expected Starting Pay: $33.50 - $38/hour
 Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) Match, Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), PTO, Paid Holidays, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, EAP

About Hydraulic Controls, Inc.

Hydraulic Controls, Inc. is a 100% employee-owned premier fluid power distributor serving customers throughout the Western United States. For more than 60 years, our employee-owners and supplier partners have built our reputation on ethical business practices, value-added customer service, technical expertise, and local inventory.

We are a practical, relationship-driven company with a strong operational focus. Our branches support customers who rely on responsive service, dependable products, and people who know how to solve problems.

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who brings both technical competence and the right working style for a hands-on HR environment. This role requires accuracy, judgment, follow-through, and the ability to support employees and managers with professionalism and care.

• Own the Details – Takes pride in accuracy, deadlines, documentation, and follow-through.
• Service Mindset – Supports employees and managers with patience, clarity, and professionalism.
• Good Judgment – Knows when to independently resolve an issue and when to escalate for guidance.
• Comfort with Complexity – Can work through multi-state payroll, California and Colorado wage/hour issues, benefits questions, leaves, workers’ compensation, and HRIS details without losing sight of priorities.
• Confidentiality and Trust – Handles sensitive employee, payroll, benefits, medical, and employment information with discretion.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources, the HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist is a key member of HCI’s small but growing HR team and serves as the primary owner of payroll administration for a multi-state workforce of approximately 200 employees across seven states, including California and Colorado. This is a payroll-first HR operations role. The most important need is for someone who can step in, learn our processes, and own accurate, timely payroll administration. The role also serves as the backbone of HR operations, managing benefits, leaves, accommodations, workers’ compensation, HRIS data integrity, compliance reporting, agency filings, employee records, and fielding related manager/employee questions.

HCI currently uses ADP Workforce Now and processes semi-monthly payroll. The ideal candidate will be tech-savvy, adaptable, and comfortable working across HR, payroll, timekeeping, and benefits systems.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll, Timekeeping & Wage Administration

• Own and process semi-monthly payroll for a multi-state workforce, with particular attention to California and Colorado wage/hour requirements.
• Review, audit, and reconcile payroll data, timekeeping records, pay codes, deductions, corrections, off-cycle adjustments, incentives, commissions, final pay, and termination payrolls.
• Evaluate routine payroll and timekeeping issues, including missed punches, meal-period concerns, approval issues, pay-treatment questions, retroactive corrections, and recurring discrepancies.
• Partner with managers and Finance to resolve payroll questions, support payroll funding and reconciliations, identify root causes, and improve payroll/timekeeping processes.

Benefits, Leaves, Accommodations & Workers’ Compensation

• Administer employee benefit programs, including enrollments, qualifying life events, eligibility, deductions, employee questions, open enrollment support, and invoice reconciliation.
• Support routine 401(k), retirement plan, and employee ownership plan administration, including census reporting, audit support, and vendor inquiries.
• Support leave of absence and accommodation processes, including intake, eligibility review, documentation, status tracking, return-to-work coordination, work restriction tracking, and employee/manager communication.
• Report workplace injuries to the workers’ compensation carrier or TPA and track claims, medical status, work restrictions, lost time, and return-to-work status.

HRIS, Compliance Reporting, Agency Filings & Manager Support

• Maintain accurate employee data in HRIS, payroll, benefits, timekeeping, and related HR systems.
• Maintain employment documentation, confidential HR files, payroll records, benefits records, and medical/confidential files.
• Prepare recurring HR operations reports and agency filings, including payroll, workforce, benefits, unemployment, disability, leave, and workers’ compensation-related reporting.
• Serve as a primary HR operations resource for managers and employees, escalating complex, sensitive, or high-risk matters to the Vice President of Human Resources.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on payroll processing experience, including payroll and timekeeping administration for hourly employees.
• Experience with payroll audits, pay codes, corrections, reconciliations, deductions, final pay, and routine pay-treatment questions.
• Working knowledge of multi-state payroll requirements, with California wage/hour exposure.
• Experience using ADP Workforce Now or a similar payroll/HRIS platform.
• Strong Excel, reporting, reconciliation, data review, and recordkeeping skills.
• Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, judgment, communication, organization, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while knowing when to ask questions, seek guidance, or escalate sensitive matters.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or similar payroll certification strongly preferred.
• Experience processing payroll for employees in California and Colorado.
• Experience with semi-monthly payroll.
• Experience with multiple payroll, HRIS, timekeeping, benefits, or employee records systems.
• Open enrollment, benefit invoice reconciliation, leave/accommodation, or workers’ compensation administration experience.
• Experience participating in HRIS/payroll system implementation, conversion, cleanup, optimization, or process improvement projects.
• PHR, SHRM-CP, CPP, FPC, or similar HR/payroll certification.

Who This Role Is a Good Fit For

This role may be a strong fit for someone who wants ownership, visibility, and variety within a small but growing HR team. This position will own payroll, benefits, leaves/accommodations, workers’ compensation tracking, HRIS, records, compliance reporting, and related HR operations processes. Other HR team members will focus on recruiting, training, employee relations/investigations, leadership development, employee culture and feedback, organizational development, and overall people strategy.

Work Location

This role is based in Stockton, California. The position is expected to be onsite during the initial training and onboarding period. After that period is complete, the role is expected to move to a hybrid schedule with approximately three days onsite per week, subject to business needs, training progress, and company approval.

Compensation

The expected starting pay range for this non-exempt position is $33.50 - $38.00/hour, depending on experience, qualifications, payroll/HR systems background, and alignment with the needs of the role.

Benefits and Perks

HCI offers a strong benefits package designed to support employees and their families, including:

• Excellent Medical, dental, and vision insurance with low deductibles and very low out-of-pocket max expenses
• 401(k) plan with a 4.5% company match
• 100% employee-owned through HCI’s Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) 
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Employer paid life insurance
• Employer paid disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

Through HCI’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, eligible employees can build an ownership stake in the company over time at no direct cost to them, subject to plan eligibility and vesting requirements.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Hydraulic Controls, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in the hiring process and perform the essential functions of the position.